Estes Park News

Winter snow play in full swing in Rocky Mountain National Park

For the Trail-Gazette

Posted:
12/31/2013 07:45:01 AM MST

Sydney Shinlund and Sonya, 5, of Fort Collins get ready for a day of fun in the snow on Saturday. (Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette)

A snowshoer prepares to head up the trails around Bear Lake on Saturday. With mild weather and plenty of snow, outdoor enthusiasts filled parking lots all over the national park. (Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette)

For many visitors, winter is their favorite season to enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park. The park is less visited but still very much open and alive with activity. Beautiful backcountry areas can be reached on snowshoes, skis, and at lower elevations - even with hiking boots! Elk, coyotes, deer, snowshoe hares, and other wildlife remain active through the winter. Their story is told by the tracks left in the snow. For those visitors who are prepared, winter is an enchanting time to explore the park.

Snowshoeing and skiing are fun ways to experience the backcountry of Rocky Mountain National Park. This winter, join a park ranger on a wintry excursion!

Hikers and snowshoers mobbed the national park on Saturday. Visitors filled the lots to overflowing. (Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette)

Rocky Mountain National Park offers ranger-led snowshoe ecology walks for beginner-level snowshoers on the east side, and for beginner and intermediate-level snowshoers and cross-country skiers on the west side of the park. Reservations are required and there is no additional fee beyond the regular park entrance fee.

Snowshoeing is easy to learn and opens up a new way to see the beauty of nature during its quietest season. For beginners, the snowshoe program is a two-hour exploration of the natural world of the subalpine forest. No previous snowshoe experience is required. On the east side, this walk is held on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays at 12:30 p.m. through March 24. The beginner snowshoe tour on the west side is held on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. and at 1:00 p.m. through March 17.

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For more experienced snowshoers, a two-hour snowshoe walk is offered on the west side of the park on Sundays at 1:00 p.m. through March 11. Previous snowshoeing experience is recommended because of the elevation gain, mileage, pace and terrain covered in this program.

Ranger-led cross-country ski tours are offered on the west side of the park on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. through January 28. Participants ski a snow-draped landscape and learn about the Kawuneeche Valley.

Tom Kalaris of Fort Collins carries his crosscountry skies out of Bear Lake on Saturday. Bear Lake a center of winter sports activities in the national park. (Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette)

All snowshoe walks and ski tours require reservations. Reservations can be made in advance, seven days or less prior to the desired program. Participants must furnish their own equipment, including poles with baskets, and be at least 8 years old. To make reservations for east side snowshoe walks, call the park's Information Office at (970) 586-1206 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. daily. To make reservations for west side snowshoe walks, call the Kawuneeche Visitor Center at (970) 627-3471 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily.

Frontcountry and backcountry camping take place in the winter too! Timber Creek Campground and designated sections of Moraine Park Campground are open all winter; the fee is $14 per site per night. Water and dump stations are not available in winter at the campgrounds. Self-registration permits for backcountry camping in winter zones are available. There is no charge in the winter for backcountry camping.

A back-country skier makes his way toward Bear Lake on Saturday. Hiking and snowshoeing are the most popular activities at the lake, but skiers are not unusual. (Walt Hester / Trail-Gazette)

Sledding activities can be enjoyed in Rocky Mountain National Park at the Hidden Valley area. Hidden Valley slopes have been contoured to enhance the safety of sledding and other snowplay activities. The gentle sledding hill is especially enjoyed by younger park visitors.

Facilities at Hidden Valley include a warming hut, which is open weekends, and heated restrooms which are open daily. This area is also a good base location for visitors interested in backcountry skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing in the undeveloped areas in and around Hidden Valley.

Check out our podcasts on Winter Recreation and Introduction to Snowshoeing. Backcountry users should be aware of avalanche conditions, always check the Colorado Avalanche Information Center website before an adventure.

Full Moon Walks are offered on the east side of the park on February 14 and March 16. Times and locations will vary each month. Reservations are necessary and may be made seven days in advance by calling (970) 586-1206.

Whenever visiting Rocky Mountain National Park to snowshoe, ski or hike, stop by a park visitor center or call (970) 586-1206 for current road, snow and avalanche conditions. Come enjoy Rocky Mountain National Park in the winter!

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